There are a lot of interesting (to me) January 2026 book releases that I’m excited for. There are so many that it would have been nice to see them spaced out with the December 2025 book releases! Anyway, there’s no way I’ll get to all of these, especially not anytime soon. But it is fun to see what books are in the pipeline. And the January 2026 book releases look excellent! As usual, most of the list below consists of fantasy books, but there is a sprinkling of books from other genres that intrigued me. So take a look!
- January 2026 Book Releases
- The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi
- The Starseekers by Nicole Glover
- Is This A Cry For Help? by Emily Austin
- The Old Fire by Elisa Shua Dusapin, Translated by Aneesa Abbas Higgins
- Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez
- The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura
- The Younger Gods by Katie Shepard
- A Heart So Green by Lyra Selene
- How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva*
- The Poet Empress by Shen Tao**
- Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis
- A Spell For Drowning by Rebecca Ferrier
- Silver & Blood by Jessie Mihalik*
- Island at the Edge of the World by Mike Pitts
* = I have an ARC of this book.
** = I preordered this book.
January 2026 Book Releases
The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy
Age Category: Young Adult
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publish Date: January 6, 2026
Print Length: 400
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
In this lush and enchanting novel from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi, a prince is only as good as his beating heart and a maiden is only as good as her honest word. But when love and the truth become impossibly tangled, the two must figure out how to survive together, or fall completely apart.
To find love is a curse …
Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally.
Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris’s parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes make their way to Rathe Castle. Amidst glittering balls in ozorald caves, strolls through menageries of daydream trees and pearl crocodiles, tea time on glass boats and kisses that leave his head spinning, Arris cannot tell who is here out of love for him…or lust for power.
Until he meets Demelza.
As a veritas swan, Demelza’s song wrings out the truth. Forced into hiding, Demelza strikes a deal. Arris will provide her with safekeeping in exchange for her truth-telling song to sort through his potential brides.
While Arris is used to dodging death threats and Demelza is accustomed to fighting for her voice to be heard, to survive the tournament of brides requires a different kind of bravery. And perhaps the bravest thing one can do is not merely protect one’s life, but find the courage to chase a life worth living.
The Starseekers by Nicole Glover
Series: Murder & Magic Novel, #4
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Mystery
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publish Date: January 6, 2026
Print Length: 496
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Indiana Jones meets Hidden Figures in this brand-new stand-alone historical fantasy set in the world of The Conductors, in which the space race of the mid-20th century will be determined by magic…if not murder.
In the 1960s, the world was caught up in reaching beyond our planet and into the cosmos. It felt impossible—but there was nothing science, math…and magic couldn’t make possible. The race to space was on, and the Moon was what everyone had their eyes on.
Including Cynthia Rhodes, a brilliant arcane engineer at NASA’s Ainsworth Research Labs. Talented in math and magic, she hosts a magical educational show… a job she took mostly for a chance to regularly see the dashing Theodore Danner, a professor of arcane archeology.
She is also an amateur sleuth—something that has run in her family for generations.
When a cursed museum curator nearly interrupts a broadcast of their show, Cynthia finds an eager sleuthing partner in Theo. Pairing up, they begin investigating the strange behavior of the curator and a mysterious theft at the arcane history museum—until one of Cynthia’s own coworkers perishes right in front of her in a major lab accident that endangers Ainsworth’s role in the space race.
Certain it was murder instead of an accident, Cynthia sees this as a separate case at first. However the more she and Theo investigate, Cynthia uncovers a surprising link between the two incidents. The museum theft and murder are part of a larger equation—one that includes deadly enchantments, rumored pirate treasure, a peculiar plant, and a dire threat to the space program as well as everything she holds dear.
The Starseekers is another rip-roaring adventure for the Rhodes family, who have been using magic to aid their community and solve mysteries since before the Civil War. The times may have changed, but a Rhodes once again finds themselves thrust into a world of murders, theft, sabotage, and curses, and this time the stakes extend to the stars themselves.
Is This A Cry For Help? by Emily Austin
Series: None
Genre: Literary Fiction, LGBTQ+
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Atria Books
Publish Date: January 13, 2026
Print Length: 304
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Emily Austin, the bestselling “queen of darkly quirky, endearingly flawed heroines” (Sarah Haywood, author of The Cactus), returns with a luminous new novel following a librarian who comes back to work after a mental breakdown only to confront book-banning crusaders in an empowering story of grief, love, and the power of libraries.
Darcy’s life turned out better than she could have ever imagined. She is a librarian at the local branch, while her wife Joy runs a book binding service. Between the two of them, there is no more room on their shelves with their ample book collections, various knickknacks and bobbles, and dried bouquets. Rounding out their ideal life is two cats and a sun-soaked house by the lake.
But when Darcy receives the news that her ex-boyfriend, Ben, has passed away, she spirals into a pit of guilt and regret, resulting in a mental breakdown and medical leave from the library. When she returns to work, she is met by unrest in her community and protests surrounding intellectual freedom, resulting in a call for book bans and a second look at the branch’s upcoming DEI programs.
Through the support of her community, colleagues, and the personal growth that results from examining her previous relationships, Darcy comes into her own agency and the truest version of herself. Is This a Cry for Help? not only offers a moving portrait of queer life after coming of age but also powerfully explores questions about sexuality, community, and the importance of libraries.
The Old Fire by Elisa Shua Dusapin, Translated by Aneesa Abbas Higgins
Series: None
Genre: Literary Fiction
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: S&S/Summit Books
Publish Date: January 13, 2026
Print Length: 192
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
From National Book Award–winning Elisa Shua Dusapin, a subtle yet powerful portrayal of family, secrets, and silence set against the backdrop of a crumbling house in the French countryside—perfect for readers of Katie Kitamura and Elena Ferrante.
“A bewitching meditation on tenderness and violence, intimacy and estrangement, The Old Fire will transport you to an ancient and wild place, immersing you in its temperatures and rainfalls, its grief and grace and sound and silence. You won’t be the same when you leave it.” —Tess Gunty, National Book Award–winning author of The Rabbit Hutch
Through the window, I can see a light inside.
Agathe leaves New York and returns to her home in the French countryside, after fifteen years away.
She and her sister Véra have not seen each other in all those years, and they carry the weight of their own complicated lives. But now their father has died, and they must confront their childhood home on the outskirts of a country estate ravaged by a nearby fire before it is knocked down. They have nine days to empty it. As the pair clean and sift through a lifetime’s worth of belongings, old memories, and resentments surface.
Tender and tense, haunting and evocative, The Old Fire is Elisa Shua Dusapin’s most personal and moving novel yet. An exploration of time and memory, of family and belonging, it is also a graceful and profound look at the unsaid and the unanswered, the secrets that remain, and whether you can ever really go home again.
Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Saturday Books
Publish Date: January 13, 2026
Print Length: 488
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
#1 New York Times bestselling author Isabel Ibañez makes her adult debut with a gorgeous, historical, and romantic fantasy perfect for fans of One Dark Window and Ever After. A lush tale full of enemies-to-lovers tension, whimsical magic, villain romance, and slow-burn desire, set in an enchanted, perilous Florence where forbidden power could ignite a war.
“Truly radiant.” Rachel Gillig, New York Times bestselling author of One Dark Window
LOVE IS THE MOST DANGEROUS MAGIC.
As a sculptress, Ravenna Maffei has always shaped beauty from stone but she has a terrible secret. Desperate to save her brother, she enters a competition hosted by Florence’s most feared immortal family, revealing a dark power in a city where magic is forbidden.
Now a captive in the cutthroat city of Florence, Ravenna is forced into a dangerous task where failure meets certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the immortal family’s mesmerizing but merciless heir. But as he draws her closer, Ravenna realizes the true threat lies beyond Florence’s walls.
The Pope’s war against magic is closing in, and Ravenna is no longer just a prisoner but a prize to be claimed. As trusting the wrong person becomes lethal, Ravenna must survive the treacherous line between a pope’s obsession and the seductive immortal who might be the end of her ― or surrender her power to a city on the brink of war.
The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura
Series: None
Genre: Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: January 13, 2026
Print Length: 384
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
A plucky librarian and an archaeologist on the run fake an engagement to save their lives, leading them into the labyrinth of their own desires.
Daniela Guiterrez has been in love with her brother’s best friend for as long as she can remember—until he went missing a year ago during an archaeological expedition. But on a solo trip to Greece, the intrepid librarian discovers that Theo is very much alive, although judging by the criminals holding him hostage, he is not doing well.
An expert in Ancient Greek archaeology, Dr. Theo Galanis has been abducted by artifact smugglers in search of a priceless gemstone—the Eye of the Minotaur. This ridiculous assignment was supposed to get Dani out of his system, not keep her tied up next to him. But when a little white lie spirals into his captors believing Theo and Dani are engaged, they must utilize her research skills and his expertise to solve the centuries’ old Minoan mystery, all while feigning a romance to keep each other alive.
Now with less than six days to find the jewel, underground societies, mythological beings, and pesky abductors are only half the battle. Because among the ancient ruins and temples they explore is an even bigger danger: falling in love for real.
The Younger Gods by Katie Shepard
Series: The Night-Singers, #1
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Ace
Publish Date: January 13, 2026
Print Length: 464
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Danger looms when a former priestess sails to the realm of the dead to find her fallen lover, only to discover the gods she thought she defeated are preparing for war.
Iona Night-Singer thought she’d overthrown the gods. Her mortal rebellion eked out a painful victory by using the gods’ own powers against them—though she lost her betrothed, Taran, in a final battle with the god of death. Months later, the war doesn’t feel over. Not with Taran gone. Especially not when the gods still answer the prayers she sings.
Angry, grieving, and with a gnawing dread that the gods will return, Iona strikes a deal with her former patron goddess: if Iona can convince Taran to follow her home from the Underworld, he’ll be free to live again. If she fails, they’ll both be trapped there forever.
No sooner does she find him, she makes a horrible discovery. The dead gods have been reborn, they are plotting revenge—and Taran, it seems, was always one of them. This reincarnated trickster god with Taran’s face no longer remembers her or the war they fought together, and she doubts not just his loyalties but his love.
Determined to stop the next war without revealing her part in the last one, Iona enters her deadliest battle yet, one where she fights to bring Taran home without him even knowing it.
A Heart So Green by Lyra Selene
Series: Fair Folk, #3
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Orbit
Publish Date: January 20, 2026
Print Length: 544
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Once in a land of swan princesses and star-touched changelings two sisters were on opposite sides of a war. The cost will be high but balance must be struck in this heart-pounding and enchanting conclusion to this internationally bestselling romantasy trilogy.
After the explosive finale of the Tournament of Kings, Fia and Irian manage to escape to the wildlands, dodging pursuit by her cunning sister Eala. With Fia locked in her own mind, battling a powerful celestial entity, Irian must form new alliances to come up with a plan to defeat Eala’s terrifying magic.
With both the human and fae realm under threat, Eala’s rampage must be stopped, no matter the cost. On Bealtain Eve, when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest, Fia and Irian will finally face off against the swan princess and forge the ending to their love story that was written in the stars.
How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva*
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy, LGBTQ+
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Orbit
Publish Date: January 20, 2026
Print Length: 352
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by debut author Jessie Sylva is the cozy tale of a halfling and a goblin who must learn to love each other despite their differences. Called “an adorable delight!” (Sarah Beth Durst), this novel is brimming with popular romance tropes and warmth and is perfect for fans of The Honey Witch and The Spellshop.
★ “Cozy, heartfelt, and deeply satisfying” –Publishers Weekly (Starred)
What if cottagecore and goblincore fell in love?
When a halfling, Pansy, and a goblin, Ren, each think they’ve inherited the same cottage, they make a bargain: they’ll live in the house together and whoever is driven out first forfeits their ownership.
Amidst forced proximity and cultural misunderstandings, the two begin to fall in love.
But when the cottage – and their communities – are threatened by a common enemy, the duo must learn to trust each other, and convince goblins and halflings to band together to oust the tall intruder.
The Poet Empress by Shen Tao**
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Bramble
Publish Date: January 20, 2026
Print Length: 400
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Debut author Shen Tao introduces readers to the lush, deadly world of The Poet Empress, a sweeping, epic and intimate fantasy perfect for fans of The Serpent & the Wings of Night, The Song of Achilles and She Who Became the Sun.
Wei Yin is desperate. After the fifth death of a sibling, with her family and village on the brink of starvation, she will do anything to save those she loves.
Even offer herself as concubine to the cruel, dissolute heir of the blood-gutted Azalea House—where poetry magic is power, but women are forbidden to read.
But in a twist of fate, the palace now stands on the knife-edge of civil war, with Wei trapped in its center. . . with a violent prince.
To save herself and the nation, she must survive the dangers of court, learn to read in secret, and compose the most powerful spell of all. A ballad of love. . . and death.
The Poet Empress is an epic fantasy that explores darker themes, subjects, and scenes that may not be suitable for all readers. Please see the author’s content note at the beginning of the book.
Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis
Series: Queens of Villainy, #2
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Bramble
Publish Date: January 27, 2026
Print Length: 304
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
Stephanie Burgis delivers another irreverent, sparkling, and sexy installment in the Queens of Villainy series, where a seductive fae queen meets her unexpected match in the enemy empire’s valiant general.
Queen Lorelei is a notorious fae seductress, with a trail of broken hearts in her wake. But behind her glamorous lifestyle and sparkling mask lurks a dangerously intelligent woman who’d do anything to keep her people safe, including kidnap the empire’s most famous hero.
The virtuous high general Gerard de Moireul represents all that is moral and true. He has to, after his parents were executed for treason. The last thing he needs is the Queen of Balravia, who showers glitter and rainbow-colored sparkles everywhere she goes without the slightest regard for good taste, decorum, or royal dignity.
They’re opposites in every way, but when they’re swept up together in a grand–and deadly–fae tournament, they discover all of each other’s most hidden truths–and how perfectly they might be suited for each other after all.
A Spell For Drowning by Rebecca Ferrier
Series: None
Genre: Fantasy, Literary Fiction
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Alcove Press
Publish Date: January 27, 2026
Print Length: 304
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
A stunning historical fantasy debut steeped in the salt and superstition of the Cornish coast. Perfect for readers of Circe and Godkiller.
Forgotten sirens, mischievous sea gods, and the lore from days long since passed weave an irresistible tale.
The people of Portscatho are bound to traditions and to the sea, living side by side with the spirits, gods, and monsters that inhabit the rollicking waters. When Kensa and her half sister come across a dying sea beast on the Cornish shore, Kensa is quick to claim credit for the discovery and in doing so steals the glory and her sister’s position as apprentice to the local wise woman. It seems an appropriate station for Kensa, who has always existed out of step with the others in the village.
Yet to be a wise woman is to be alone—unmarried, childless, relied upon, and lusted after yet never truly wanted. Kensa’s only real company is her mentor, the wise woman Isolde.
But Isolde won’t live forever, and when she falls ill, Kensa will do anything to save her and retain her newfound elevation within the community. Even if that means having to seek help from the Bucka, a terrifying and unfathomable sea god who guards the tides around Portscatho. In doing so, she’ll risk her life, her family, and everything she’s sworn to protect.
Beautifully written, expertly crafted, and full of engaging and compelling Cornish mythology, A Spell for Drowning tackles the expectations and limitations put on women by society, what it means to be feared and needed at the same time, and how the desire for acceptance can either save or destroy us.
With the historical wonder of A Thousand Ships, A Spell for Drowning is in good company with compelling historical fantasies that enchant readers across the board.
Silver & Blood by Jessie Mihalik*
Series: Silver & Blood, #1
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: January 27, 2026
Print Length: 448
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
On a deadly mission to kill the mythical beast that has been haunting her woods, a desperate mage finds her fate intertwined with the handsome, powerful man who saves her in this dark and sexy romantasy—perfect for readers of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Callie Hart, and Holly Black.
There’s something in the woods…
When a vicious beast begins attacking her fellow villagers, Riela reluctantly agrees to enter the forbidden forest and kill the monster as she’s the only mage available—or so she thought.
Untrained and barely armed, Riela is quickly overwhelmed when one beast turns into two. She fears her death is at hand until the unexpected arrival of a scarred, strikingly handsome man with gleaming moonlit magic changes her fate—and provides a rare opportunity to learn more about her own fickle power.
After being rescued and healed from the beast’s poison, Riela awakens in a magical castle complete with a gorgeous library, a strange wolf, and the surly man who saved her life. She soon learns Garrick is both more powerful and far deadlier than a mere mortal mage—but thanks to a century-long curse, his powers are weakening.
Trapped in his castle and surrounded by the treacherous woods, the spark of attraction between Riela and Garrick slowly ignites into fiery desire. But the more they discover about Riela’s magic, the more suspicious Garrick grows of her identity. As they unravel the secrets and lies connecting Riela’s past to Garrick’s, the tenuous threads of trust between them start to fray.
Because Riela’s life—or her death—might be the key to regaining everything Garrick has lost.
Island at the Edge of the World by Mike Pitts
Series: None
Genre: Nonfiction, History, Politics, Travel
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Mariner Books
Publish Date: January 27, 2026
Print Length: 368
Purchase: Bookshop.org
Synopsis
A vital and timely work of historical adventure and reclamation by British archeological scholar Mike Pitts—a book that rewrites the popular yet flawed history of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and uses newly unearthed findings and documents to challenge the long-standing historical assumptions about the manmade ecological disaster that caused the island’s collapse.
Rapa Nui, known to Western cultures as Easter Island for centuries, has long been a source of mystery. While the massive stone statues that populate the island’s landscape have loomed in the popular Western imagination since Europeans first set foot there in 1722, in recent years, the island has gained infamy as a cautionary tale of eco-destruction. The island’s history as it’s been written tells of Polynesians who carelessly farmed, plundered their natural resources, and battled each other, dooming their delicate ecosystem and becoming a warning to us all about the frailty of our natural world.
But what if that history is wrong?
In The Island at the Edge of the World, archeological writer and scholar Mike Pitts offers a direct challenge to the orthodoxy of Rapa Nui, bringing to light new research and documents that tell a dramatic and surprising story about what really led to the island’s downfall. Relying on the latest archaeological findings, he paints a vastly different portrait of what life was like on the island before the first Europeans arrived, investigating why a Polynesian people who succeeded for centuries throughout the South Pacific supposedly failed to thrive in Rapa Nui. Pitts also unearths the vital story of one of the first anthropologists to study Rapa Nui, an Oxford-trained iconoclast named Katherine Routledge, who was instrumental in collecting firsthand accounts from the Polynesians living on Rapa Nui in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. But though Routledge’s impressive scholarship captured the oral traditions of what life had been like pre-1722, her work was widely dismissed because of her gender, her reliance on indigenous perspectives, and her conclusions which contradicted her historical peers.
A stunning work of revisionism, this book raises critical questions about who gets to write history and the stakes of ignoring that history’s true authors. Provocative and illuminating, The Island at the Edge of the World will change the way people think about Easter Island, its colonial legacy, and where the blame for its devastation truly lies.
Are any of these January 2026 book releases on your TBR?


January is very crowded! I have plans to read Silver & Blood, Enchanting the Fae Queen and How to Lose a Goblin. I hope we both get to read them😁
It is a very crowded month! I think February is similarly crowded. I hope you like those 3 ARCs you mentioned!
The Starseekers looks good!
I think so too!
That cover of The Starseekers is like catnip for me. I think I have book 1 ion that series in my TBR so maybe I should get a move on and read it. I also still need to read Wooing the Witch Queen a s there’s already another one coming out.
Same! I hadn’t heard of that series before but I’m considering buying a copy of THE STARSEEKERS when it comes out. I don’t usually read mysteries but it’s paired with historical fantasy so I might like it.
Great post! A lot of these books look great! I need to look them up. 🙂
Hopefully I’ve added to your tbr! 😉
January is going to be an amazing reading month!!
It looks like it! No way I can get to all of these, though, lol!
We have some readalikes!
January is starting off strong! I’ve got Is This a Cry For Help? and Enchanting The Fae Queen on my TBR for the month, too!
Can’t wait to see your review for IS THIS A CRY FOR HELP? If I wanted to overwhelm myself with ARCs, that would’ve been one for me to request. I’m trying to be good!
It’s so good! I feel you on trying to slow down with ARCs though. I’m doing the same this year.